MSNBC’s Chris Matthews still throwing Hardballs

BEVERLY HILLS, CA–Chris Matthews knows how to set off a TCA Twitterstorm.The Hardball host joined a panel of MSNBC personalities–including Rachel Maddow, The Last Word host Lawrence O’Donnell and news network president Phil Griffin–and riffed on a range of hot button political topics. Take president Barack Obama. Matthews said he was “a lucky, lucky, lucky pol” and could hit the jackpot again in 2012 against a field of weak Republican candidates. “This President is one of the luckiest human beings I’ve ever come across,” Matthews, 65, told TCA reporters. “He ran against two guys with marital difficulties. Then he ran against Alan Keyes for the Senate seat. He ran against Bobby Rush, probably the toughest opponent he ever had, and he lost. He ran against McCain when he was…not his best years. He was sort of over the hill. So he’s always been lucky. He may end up running against Romney, who I do think is a mood ring, or run against this guy Rick Perry, who I don’t know what he is exactly, but I don’t think he’s authentic, or against Bachmann and just have a hoot.”Who does he like among the Republicans? Surprisingly, Jeb Bush. “I think Jeb Bush is a real political talent down the road.”Despite what he sees as a weak field, a second presidential term for Obama is no cinch, says Matthews. “If the unemployment rate is down below eight, he’ll probably get reelected. It it’s high above eight, it will be very tough. I think if he looks like he can accept this reset in the American economy, I don’t think he’ll win. If he looks like he’s fighting hard for the people, then most of the voters, they’ll give him another shot. I don’t agree completely that it’s about the Republicans. I think it’s about him.”